Only if for a Night
by rokkasen
Summary: Maka Albarn, proprietor of New York City's Library of Magical Rules and Regulations, just wanted some excitement in her humdrum life. Her wish is granted when she becomes embroiled in political corruption, scandal, and an impending war between disgruntled humans and magical folks. Oh, yeah, and there's a dragon who just won't leave her couch. [SoMa; Modern-Magic AU]
1. one

**_one_**

New York City's _Library of Magical Rules and Regulations_ boasted eight grand floors of supernatural books, videos, newspaper clippings, and research tools. From aatxe to unicorns, the _Library of Magical Rules and Regulations_ had information for the most dedicated of scholars. It was the place to go to gain knowledge, study for Wizarding exams, or hit on a siren who was listening to old CDs in the music room.

The _Library_ was open to magical and non-magical people alike. Everyone coexisted peacefully for the most part- they all had laws to follow and social contractual obligations to fill. There was a broom only lane in the streets next to city buses and people had the option of seeing medical doctors or witch healers. Mermaids ran surf shops that were frequented by stoned college humans and anybody who was anybody bought their jewelry from the dwarves on Canal Street. The NYPD accepted applicants of all backgrounds to make sure that no one, human or magical creature, used their powers for evil.

It wasn't perfect but it was home.

The women in Maka Albarn's family had historically watched over _The Library_ for centuries. With their special, protective grigori souls and strong dispositions, they guarded carefully kept secrets and made sure that no one used dangerous knowledge for evil. With the dawn of the internet, the library did not have the hustle and bustle of her mother's time and although Maka loved to be surrounded by books and people thirsting for information, she couldn't help but wish her life was a bit more exciting.

As the djinn who lived in her apartment building always said: _Be careful what you wish for._

She was walking home from the Library on a cold, snowy January night when she spotted it.

The snow was stained red around what looked like a very large, white dog who was breathing heavily, labored and pained. Maka approached slowly, not wanting to make any sudden movements. Sharp, red eyes flickered open and watched her, bloody teeth bared in warning. It was probably unwise to inch closer but Maka could not, for the life of her, ignore someone or something in needed.

"You… are not a puppy," she whispered when she was only a few inches away. It was a small dragon with beautiful, snow white scales, sharp claws, and eyes that burned despite the cold winter. It shivered and growled lowly but Maka only held out her hands soothingly. "Shhh, it's okay. I'm going to help you. I'm a friend."

Dragons were rare in densely populated areas. They mostly lived in rural places because dragon poaching was an issue and body parts were hot on the black market. The poor thing had a slash through its chest and Maka imagined someone was set on selling a dragon heart.

People- magical or non-magical- could be so cruel.

Maka crouched down and held her hand out. The dragon tried to snap at her but whimpered in pain. "You stupid dragon, stop trying to fight me. You're hurt."

It looked at her as if to say, _No shit, Sherlock._

She unbuttoned her coat and shrugged it off. "You have two choices. Bleed out or let me help you. Dragons are supposed to be wise creatures. Make the smart decision."

Ruby eyes narrowed. It snorted at her but didn't resist as she carefully wrapped her coat around it, swaddling it like a newborn baby. It was a good thing Maka worked out religiously because the little dragon was _heavy._ "Don't worry," Maka murmured and the dragon closed its eyes wearily. "You're going to be okay."

She hoped.

* * *

Kim, the beautiful witch healer of 42nd Street, was not amused at the 2 am visit.

"Don't give me that look," Maka said, pushing her way inside. "You owe me for that time I was your wingman at the gay bar. I almost got killed getting between those two elves fighting over the hair straightener in the bathroom. I'm calling in a favor."

Kim groaned and motioned for Maka to follow her into the bathroom. A lovely, slender girl with sheets of dark hair peeked out from the staircase. She was only wearing a robe and Maka was only a little sorry that she had interrupted Kim's booty call.

"What's the damage?" Maka asked anxiously as Kim unwrapped the dragon from Maka's bloody coat and placed him in the bath tub. "Is it going to be okay?"

" _He_ 'll live," Kim said, hands glowing with warm magic. "It's a deep wound but luckily it missed any vital organs. A white dragon is pretty rare. I don't think I've ever seen one in real life. Is he a friend of yours?"

The dragon snorted.

"What an attitude," Maka muttered. "We've only just met. I found him outside the library so I hopped on the bus and brought him straight here."

Kim arched an eyebrow at her. "You took a wounded dragon on the bus?"

Maka had the decency to flush. "There were no taxis around, okay? All of the faun drivers went to Florida for the winter. It was the fastest way to get here in the snow."

"Alright. He should be all set. He just needs lots of rest and to be kept warm. I'll drive you home," Kim said, washing her hands in the sink. "Seriously, though. You need to stop picking up strays, Maka."

Maka pointed to the staircase where Kim's newest thing was still listening in on the conversation. "I could say the same about you."

* * *

"Well," Maka said as she crafted a little nest of pillows and blankets for the dragon to sleep in, "this is the first time I've ever let a strange man in my bed."

The dragon gave her a _look._ "Don't even go there," Maka said, rolling the blankets around him like a burrito. "It would be unethical to stick you in the living room, it's freezing in there. It's not an ideal situation but let's just make the best of it."

She rolled onto her side and she and the dragon engaged in a sleepy staring contest. Maka reached out her hand slowly, waiting to see if he would try to bite it off again. The dragon showed no signs of aggression this time; he was perfectly still as she stroked the spiky scales at the top of his head.

"You're a rude little dragon but you're kind of cute," Maka yawned. "I can understand why you're weary of humans, though. We can be awful creatures. But don't worry. I won't let anything happen to you."

The dragon made a small, muffled noise that sounded like hesitant acceptance and closed his eyes.

Maka followed suit and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

When Maka woke, the dragon was gone.

Dragons were fairly mysterious creatures by nature, secretive, and isolated. Each type of dragon had their own culture and laws and even Maka, who was a fastidious studier by trade, could never hope to understand the intricacies of each and every dragon. He had probably felt well enough to go back into seclusion away from dangerous humans and Maka couldn't blame him. He was used to being hunted and she couldn't imagine that it felt good knowing you were worth more dead than alive.

He was starting to grow on her, though, and she was a little sad that the bit of excitement in her life was gone.

A knock on the door startled her out of her thoughts.

It was a good thing, because her pancakes were burning from her inattention. Maka turned off the stove and walked over to the door. She peeked through the peephole- the arbiter of _The Library_ could never be too careful. Maka had made many enemies, though none of them had ever politely knocked before entering.

She opened the door and came face to face with a tall, tanned man with a shock of spiky white hair and hooded red eyes. He was dressed stylishly, like he shopped on the fashion district, and his leather coat looked like it cost more than a month's worth of rent. Hands were stuffed into the pockets of his skinny jeans and he was slouching uncomfortably.

"Look," Maka said. "Let me just cut to the chase. I'm really not looking to change religions. I'm sure that whichever one you represent is very nice but I'm perfectly happy."

He snorted at her. "Nice try but no. For someone with supernatural perception, you sure are shit at recognizing people."

Maka squinted at him. She felt that she had met him somewhere before but where? "Do you come to the library often?"

"Not really my scene," the man said and ducked under her arm to worm his way into the apartment. He sniffed the air and sighed happily. "At least invite me in for breakfast."

"What the heck?" Maka squeaked. "You can't just come in here without permission! And stop eating my breakfast!"

The man picked up the plate of finished pancakes and drizzled syrup over it lazily. "You know, people would kill to have a dragon in their apartment. Haven't you ever heard that dragons are good luck?"

"Only in some cultures," Maka argued. "Dragons have done nothing but bring me problems." She paused. "But wait, how did…"

The white hair.

The red eyes.

The sharp teeth.

That _annoying_ snark.

"You're the-?"

"Duh," he snorted again. "For someone who has access to every book on magical creatures known to man, you sure are dense. Call me Soul."

Only the most powerful of dragons were able to shapeshift into human form, Maka recalled. He _was_ a white dragon, after all, so maybe it wasn't so strange. But did he just call her stupid? After she saved his life and made him breakfast? "What do you want, _Soul_?"

Soul scarfed down two pancakes at a time. "You saved my life. I owe you a debt."

"Ooooh no. No no no. I know how this works and no thank you," Maka said. "There's no such thing as a free lunch. Everything has a catch and I just don't have the time to deal with this Monkey's Paw nonsense. I have enough of my own problems. Just eat the pancakes and get out."

"So, here's the thing. Dragons are valuable creatures and you, Maka Albarn," he said, "are already the target of some nasty as fuck peoples' misguided anger. Powerful people who don't like non-magics snooping having access to ancient books. Plus that soul of yours would go for a hefty price on the black market. We're both kind of screwed."

Maka stomped her foot down. "What's your point?"

Soul licked his fork messily. "I'm not going anywhere until I save your life."

"I can take care of myself," Maka argued. "I'm a blackbelt."

He smirked. "That's adorable."

"Don't think I won't hit you just because you're a protected species," she warned. "I'll punch a dragon right in the face."

Soul threw his plate in the sink and flopped down on the couch, picking up the remote control. He flipped through the channels while Maka stared at him, open mouthed. "Consider the House of Albarn- as shoddy as this apartment is- under the protection of the dragon Soul Eater. You're welcome."

Kim was right.

Maka really needed to stop picking up strays.


	2. two

_two_

The Modern White Dragon was a mystery wrapped up in an enigma, and like any good researcher, Maka Albarn was determined to learn his ways.

Soul Eater had made himself very comfortable in her apartment, all but refusing to leave her side for long periods of time. He slept and played video games and watched Food Network on her couch. He followed her to work and curled up under her desk, lazing on her feet and ignoring her half hearted complaints that he was a fat little dragon that needed to cut carbs immediately. He cooked in her kitchen and made dinner every night without being asked.

They spent nearly all their time together but he was oddly close mouthed about where he came from and who he was. Maka was curious by nature and if he was going to leech off of her rent free, she wanted a little something in return. She kept an entire notebook dedicated to her research, scribbling down little notes whenever she made another observation.

 **Diet** : Anything not nailed down the floor but especially enjoys rare meat, fancy French pastries, and pretentious craft beers from the hole in the wall bar down the street.

 **Sleeping Habits** : If the Modern White Dragon (MWD) does not get at least twelve hours of sleep, he will whine and complain like a baby and throw tantrums in the grocery store by the cereal aisle.

 **Likes** : Leather jackets, so called "cool" things, jazz music, gothic architecture, hair gel, stealing her pillow.

 **Dislikes** : "The state of music today", loud noises, crowds, people in general.

Maka almost wrote down "Mating Habits" but thought better of herself and crossed it out. Even though they had been living together for nearly two months and this was purely scientific, it felt grossly invasive to question his sex life. Things were already convoluted enough having a dragon-who-turned-into-a-hot-dude roommate; she didn't need visuals to go along with her half formed, mortifying daydreams.

Like most dragons of myth, Soul had a taste for the finer things in life. It wasn't odd for Maka to come back to her apartment only to find that her carpet had been ripped up and replaced with hardwood floors or in this case, her worn, old couch gone, only to have a huge leather monstrosity in its place. She stood in the living room, open mouthed, wondering how the hell he had managed to do all of this while she had gone to the pharmacy.

"Where did you get this couch?!"

Soul shrugged. "Since you won't let me sleep on your bed when I'm in this form-"

"For good reason!"

"- I figured I might as well get a more comfortable couch."

Maka rubbed her temples. It was bad enough that Soul, as a little, squishy dragon, snuck under her covers to siphon her body heat but she really, really could not even _consider_ the implications of sleeping next to him as a human. "Where did you even get the money for this? Are you hoarding gold in a cave somewhere?"

He sneered. "What the fuck? No, that's a gross stereotype and God, this isn't the Middle Ages, Maka. I've got rich parents. Your apartment now sucks a little less. You're welcome."

"I never asked-!" Resistance was futile and they both knew it. He could be strangely stubborn when he wanted to be, despite his lax demeanor, and he looked so freakin' pleased with himself. Maka decided she needed to pick her battles more carefully and let this one go. "No more decorating my apartment without consulting me first, okay?"

"Fine, you killjoy. You know, most people would be taking advantage of this," he pointed out, getting comfortable on his new couch.

"Well, I'm _not_ most people," Maka said, voice hard and insistent. She had always been independent and prided herself on working hard to get what she wanted. Just because Maka was suddenly in possession of a dragon who liked to decorate didn't mean she was going to start taking the easy road.

His eyes and expression softened. "Yeah. I know."

She had to stop herself from reaching over to ruffle his hair or smooth her hands over his cheeks. Maka could only imagine how hard his life had been, encountering people who only wanted to use him for their own selfish gain. Maka was sure he didn't want her pity. It seemed like all that he really wanted from her was her companionship and free reign over her Netflix account.

Maka sighed. She was such a softie.

"I made lasagna," Soul said. "It's in the oven."

"How old are you?" Maka blurted out; subtlety had never been her strong point.

"How old do I look?"

"How should I know?!" Maka folded her arms across her chest. "You're a dragon. The books at the library say-"

Soul stood up, making his way to the kitchen. "Books aren't always accurate, Maka." She gasped and he snorted out a laugh as he pulled the lasagna out of the oven. "Dragons don't live that much longer than humans."

Even though death was tragic, it was still strangely comforting to know that their lifespans weren't far apart. For some reason, imagining Soul having to live a thousand years alone made her very, very sad. "The white hair is throwing me off," Maka said, voice a little sheepish. "But… I don't know. Twenty six?"

"Close. Twenty seven." He portioned out the lasagna onto a plate and handed it to her. "Not much older than you."

Maka absently took the plate, excitement fluttering in her stomach. How much more firsthand information could she glean from Soul? She didn't want his organs or his fancy couches or his gold hoarded in a cave somewhere. She wanted _information._ She was thirsty for knowledge, hungry to fill the empty sections in her library. She _wanted_ with the burning fire of a thousand suns and couldn't contain herself. "Do you have any siblings? What about your parents? How many other white dragons are there out there?"

"Whoa, whoa, slow down. Dinner first, questions later. I know you haven't eaten all day." Soul scooped out a large piece of lasagna for himself and plopped down at the table. "All of that studying can't be good for you. You never relax."

"I do too! I read to relax."

"Neeeeerd."

"Oh, shush," Maka huffed. "It's fun!"

Soul shoveled the lasagna into his mouth. "Only to nerds. Let's go to a movie or something."

Maka brought her fork to her mouth and paused. Was this a friendly movie or a date movie? She was vaguely uncomfortable with the latter, not because she didn't think Soul was great, but because she was sure that Soul felt obligated to stick around since she saved his life. She didn't need a pity date. "I don't know-"

"For God's sake, live a little, Albarn. All work and no play makes Maka a dull girl," he grinned, sharp teeth on full display.

Maka flushed and found that it was very hard to refuse him when he looked at her like that. She only nodded and dug into her food, quietly enjoying the meal with her roommate.

 **Defense** : Paralyzing the opposite sex with a devastating smile. Highly effective. Instant fatality.

She never stood a chance.

* * *

They had been sitting on the new couch watching TV when Maka's door literally exploded, wood splintering everywhere. Soul immediately jumped up to stand in front of her, a sharp blade jutting out of the skin of his forearm.

"Oh wow, so you're a metal type dragon!" Maka said excitedly. "Can I touch it-"

"Not now, you idiot!" Soul snapped. "Un-freakin-believable, the world could be ending and all you care about is research-!"

"YO!" a cheerful voice screamed, interrupting their impending argument.

"I am so sorry," a more gentle, apologetic voice said. "We'll pay for the door."

Black*Star, local deity and childhood friend, merely walked over the rubble that used to be Maka's front door. "A big God has to make an entrance, Tsubaki. There's no need to apologize."

"Demi-god," Maka corrected. "And you protect the _city_. You're not that big."

"Anyyyyway, who's the dude?" Black*Star nodded towards Soul, who hadn't moved from his spot in front of Maka. "Bootycall? Didn't you know you had it in you, Maka. Gave up the chastity belt to take a ride into pound town? Nice."

Maka stepped in front of Soul to launch her remote at Black*Star's head, nailing him in the temple. "What do you want, Black*Star? I'm not giving any more money to your bogus shrine!"

"Aww, come on! Kiss a God, get seven years of good luck!"

"Black*Star-"

Soul retracted his blade, deciding to address the one sane person in this room. Tsubaki was trying to soothe Black*Star and Maka, but to no avail. Both of them were too hotheaded for their own good. "Did you guys need something?"

She nodded, holding up a bandaged arm. "It seems that… something has happened to me."

Immediately, Maka broke out of the amicable headlock Black*Star had put her in. Tsubaki was a human and one of the kindest, most gentle people that Maka had ever known. Maka would do anything in her power to make sure she stayed safe. "Is everything okay, Tsubaki?"

"Show 'em," Black*Star quietly commanded.

Tsubaki unraveled her bandage, revealing pale skin inch by inch. On the inside of her forearm was an ominous looking black mark, throbbing with dark magic, in the shape of a stem. It seemed to pulse with a life of its own and for a second, Maka couldn't breathe, so overwhelmed with the negative energy coming off of it. Soul held her shoulder to steady her.

"I don't want to impose, but maybe you know something about this…?" Tsubaki asked.

"It's a curse," Soul said before Maka had a chance to launch into a lecture on the dangers of dark magic. "A blind person could see that. Pissed off any belligerent spirits lately?"

"Tsubaki is practically an angel, who would ever want to hurt her?" Maka argued. "Black*Star, what did you do? Did you 'pump and dump' a fairy again? I just _know_ this is your fault."

"Hey! It wasn't me!" he said defensively.

Maka reached out for Tsubaki's arm, wondering if her Grigori soul could cleanse the darkness the evil spirit had left behind. She had never attempted something like this, but her mother always told her that the reason the women in their family were so good at protecting people and places was because demons had a hard time getting close to them.

And she would do anything for her friend, even if it meant putting her own life in danger.

For a moment, the mark seemed to lighten under her touch but then like lightning, zapped Maka's hand, burning the tender flesh of her palm. She didn't even have time to gasp before Soul was dragging her to the sink to run her hand under cold water.

"You reckless idiot! Why would you think it was a good idea to touch a curse mark?" He shook his head. "Swear to God, can't take you anywhere."

Maka grimaced as the water ran over her hand. "I thought I could help. I'll do some research at the library-"

"No," Black*Star said. "We're gonna need an exorcist."

"Please, no," Maka said weakly. "Please don't make me call him."

"Who?" Soul asked but no one answered him.

"He's a flake but he'll pick up if you call," he insisted. "Do this for Tsubaki."

"Who?" Soul asked again. "Who are you calling?"

Maka groaned. "This is so unfair. You know I won't say no. This is emotional blackmail… I hate you."

Black*Star shoved his phone at Maka's face, all business. The numerous star phone charms hit her in the eye and she tried to bat it away with her good hand. Resistance, however, was futile and Black*Star was an immovable rock, standing firm until she did as she was asked. Maka grabbed the phone and dialed a familiar number, grumbling the entire time.

" _Who the hell is she calling_?" Soul asked, frustration creeping into his voice.

"Her ex."

* * *

Maka could practically feel Soul's judgmental glare burning into the back of her skull when Hiro waltzed into their apartment with his leather pants and plethora of accessories.

" _This_ guy is an exorcist?" Soul snorted under his breath. "What a tool."

Hiro only smiled brightly as he set up the magical incantation wards in her apartment, getting ready for the ceremony. He wasn't a bad guy by any means, Maka thought. He was very nice - too nice, maybe, and that's why she had grown so bored in their relationship. There was no spark, no fire, no challenge. They never argued, never disagreed, and everything felt lukewarm and _boring._

God, what did that say about her as a person?

"Maka, I'm so glad you called," Hiro said as he pasted another ward onto her window. _An insurance policy._ _Just to make sure any rogue spirits don't try to escape_ , he had said sheepishly. "It's been way too long. If you're not doing anything after this, maybe we can catch up-"

"Dude, get on with this already before Tsubaki's arm explodes and you have a very pissed demi-god on your hands," Soul groused.

Maka gave him a dirty look. "Have a little delicacy, would you?"

Soul only threw himself down on the couch, crossing his arms over his chest and generally looking like a pouty toddler. Black*Star was standing next to Tsubaki, speaking too lowly to hear, and Maka could only assume he was offering her reassuring words. She really hoped this would work- it hurt her to think that her friend was suffering so much and she was powerless to help.

Hiro brought Tsubaki to the middle of the room, sitting her down on the floor. "Close your eyes and concentrate, Tsubaki." His voice was gentle, melodious, soothing. "Relax."

She took a deep breath.

"Can you think of anyone who has passed on that might try to contact you?"

"... yes," Tsubaki admitted. "My older brother."

"What-" Maka asked but Black*Star quickly shushed her.

"He died hating me," she said quietly. "Jealous that I would carry on the family name because he- he became corrupt, so power hungry. He killed so many people, mowed down anyone in his path. The body count is so that I- I still loved him though," Tsubaki openly sobbed. "I still love him now. I only want him to rest in peace and forgive me!"

Hiro muttered something under his breath in an ancient language that Maka was unfamiliar with. His hand swept over the mark on arm and it seemed to slowly dissolve beneath his touch. Maka was breathless, absolutely taken with the scene before her. She had only read about exorcisms in books, seen them in documentaries, but this was the real thing. It was surreal; Hiro and Tsubaki seem to exist on two worlds- this one and and one outside of space and time.

Tsubaki looked like she had fallen asleep, slumped over, as Hiro whispered to her in the darkened room. Black*Star looked on tensely, nails digging into the palms of his hands and Maka wondered what sort of inner battle was raging inside Tsubaki. Soul seemed to hear her thoughts and took her hand comfortingly, squeezing it as a sign that everything would be okay.

Suddenly the room seemed warmer, lighter, and Tsubaki's sobbing was uncontrollable as her body trembled violently. She fell over onto the floor, clutching herself, howling for her brother against the new wood. Maka started to rise but Soul held her back and they watched as Black*Star put his arms around her.

Magic was beautiful and mysterious, Maka thought to herself, but also dark and deep.

The more she learned, the more she realized that she knew nothing at all.

* * *

"Stop pouting."

"I am _not_ pouting," Soul sulked, most definitely pouting. "I just think that guy was such a loser. Those pants? That hair? Tacky as fuck. A fashion crime. Throw him in jail."

Maka bit her lip, trying to keep from smiling. "We're just friends."

"You used to date, though. Black*Star said so," Soul said. He quickly did a 180, slouching over and burying his hands in the pockets of his jeans. "Tch. Not that I care. You can date whoever you want."

"Mhmm." She picked up her little notebook and pretending to write. "The Modern White Dragon is rather territorial and gets very jealous of other males encroaching on his territory," she recites. "They will often take off back to their nests and sulk about it for a while."

Soul jumped up from the couch and tried to grab the book from her hands. Maka easily kept it out of reach. "Hey- don't you dare write that, my reputation will be ruined-!"

She held it over her head, backing up until she was against a wall. "The Modern White Dragon is also out of shape and needs to go lift some weights if he wants to keep up with this badass librarian."

He made a funny little growling noise and caged her between his arms. "It would be unethical of you to spread lies."

"I detect no lies."

Soul frowned and they stood there for a few moments, merely eyeing each other to see who would make the next move. "Black*Star got that saying wrong, by the way."

"Huh?" Maka asked. "Which?"

"It's 'Kiss a dragon, seven years good luck'," he breathed, mouth very close to hers.

The challenge was issued, the gauntlet thrown: Who was going to back down first?

"I see," Maka said smoothly. She never backed down from a challenge, especially not one issued by such an intriguing, good-looking magical creature. "Go on, then."

Soul reeled back, a violent blush spreading from ear tip to collarbone. Clearly, he had not expected her to call his bluff. Maka laughed herself sick as he edged back from her, adorably flustered. He suddenly transformed, flying off into her bedroom with a huff.

"What's wrong, Soul?" Maka called. "I thought I was going to get lucky?"

"SHUT UP."


	3. three

_three_

Maka looked over her right shoulder.

Maka looked over her left shoulder.

Once she was convinced that no one was behind her, she sighed, steeled herself, connected to the mall WiFi, and waited for the browser to load on her old tablet.

Despite her ability to sense souls and the fact that she was hidden amongst six hundred other mall goers in the very crowded food court (wearing _sunglasses_ and a hat indoors, no less), she couldn't be too careful. Normally, she would shut herself away in the library to do work but this was a special case. Maka was currently engaged in very sensitive research of the highest confidentiality and no one, certainly not loyal library-goers, could ever find out what she was looking up.

She barely typed _how to seduce a dragon_ into the search bar before a loud voice from behind her startled her.

"I _knew_ it was only a matter of time before you tried to get into those skinny jeans!"

Maka screamed and fumbled with the tablet, watching in horror as it fell onto the sticky food court floor. "Nooooooo," she groaned as she surveyed the cracked screen. The tablet had been on its last leg but Maka couldn't afford a new one, not on a librarian's salary. "No no no no."

A beautiful blond woman slid into the booth next to her, putting an arm around her shoulder. "If you wanted some man advice, you should have consulted an _expert_ not a bunch of loser virgins on the internet." Liz Thompson raised a perfect eyebrow. "And for God's sake, take off those sunglasses, you look nuts."

Maka scowled and threw her sunglasses off. Liz was a neighborhood friend, a selkie who had voluntarily left the sea with her little sister, Patti, "in search of adventure and a rich husband." She was a nice person, a great shopping partner, and incredibly fun to hang out with. However, Liz was also an acquired taste, much like coffee or whiskey, because she could sometimes come on a little… strong.

"I did a dragon once."

 _And there it was._

She loved Liz, she really did, but Maka didn't know if she could stomach another gossip session about Liz's wild sexcapades. She was still scarred from the story about the last guy Liz dated that was ¼ wood nymph and had been "very creative" with vines. Maka could have gone her whole life never knowing that Liz "had ligature marks and possible poison ivy rashes in places that she never knew existed."

"Liz," Maka said tiredly. She mourned the loss of her tablet but then realized that at least all physical evidence of her perversion was now erased from the world. A blessing in disguise. "Please."

"I'm giving you valuable advice here, Maka," Liz said, stealing a fry from Maka's tray. "A rare, firsthand account of dragon seduction."

"I don't actually want to- to do _that_ ," Maka whispered, face heating up. "This is purely for research."

Liz snorted. "You're living with one of the rarest, richest, most powerful species in the entire universe who also happens to be an incredibly hot guy with a nice butt," she said, "and you're trying to convince me that you're only trying to find out what turns him on _platonically_?"

Maka winced. "Yes?"

"All that eyesex you two do says differently." Liz noisily slurped Maka's soda. "Shameful."

"Shut up, we do not do- _that_ ," Maka hissed. "There is no sex. Not of the eye variety or anything else!"

"Oh, there is," Liz said wisely. "You're a sinner, Maka, but it's okay. Welcome to the dark side."

"Ugh, _stop_. I don't need this." Maka buried her face in her hands. "I can't even flirt with a human guy, let alone _Soul_. This is a mess. What am I doing?"

Liz patted her arm soothingly. "You're trying to get laid."

Maka flailed, shushing her. "Liz!"

"I know, I know, casual sex isn't your thing so I'm sure you've got all these gushy feelings and whatever." Liz waved her hand, as if shooing away a fly. "All the more reason to come clean with Soul and get 'im done!"

"You make it sound so easy," Maka said wryly. "He might not be interested."

"He's interested," Liz insisted, sliding her straw through the plastic top of the cup in a rather lewd fashion. "Trust me. He's always watching you. It's cute, if not a little pathetic."

Maka snatched her drink away from Liz. "That's only because he feels like he's in debt to me. I saved his life now he thinks he owes me."

Her argument was weak and they both knew it. Sure, Soul was probably grateful to her, but there was something more there. She could see it in the way he was able to relax in their apartment, around _her_ , when he admitted that most of life had been spent trying to find a place to belong. She could see it in the way they coexisted so perfectly, floating in each other's spaces and falling into a routine so easily. She could see it in the way they understood each other's thoughts without a word being uttered.

Liz gave her an unconvinced look, fluffing her hair with a perfectly manicured hand. "There's a big difference between _grateful_ and _wanting to do the no-pants dance._ "

"Stop that!" she hissed.

"Tell me I'm wrong!"

God, Maka hated when Liz was right.

"I'm in so much trouble," Maka whined, trying to tug her wool hat over her eyes. "He might not even like humans. Is this even legal? It feels illegal to be lusting over a _protected species._ "

"If banging a dragon is illegal, take me to jail _immediately_." Liz's eyes sparkled with mischief.

"Ew, Liz."

"Do you want my help or not?"

"... fine."

Liz grinned. "Good choice. Now, I can't speak for all dragons, but the one I met at was pretty charming and surprisingly kinky considering he was some sort of fancy classical musician-"

Maka mentally strapped herself in.

This was going to be a wild ride.

* * *

The graffiti outside of the Library's large frosted glass windows was almost a welcome distraction from the hour long discussion of _Dragon Tongues: How Long is Too Long_? Maka was forced to endure at the mall.

 **HUMANS KEEP OUT.**

She recalled being young and watching her mother scrub the paint off of the building time and time again, wondering why Rei Albarn, proprietor of _New York City's Library of Magical Rules and Regulations_ , was deigning to do grunt work. The memory was so visceral- the feel of her mother's rough hands, the smell of the soap, the sweat and determination that went into making sure no trace of the foul language remained.

 _This is a challenge, Maka,_ her mother had said, rolling up her sleeves. _And we never back down from a challenge._

Now that Maka was older, she realized how much weight her mother's words held. They were the keepers of knowledge, the symbol of a delicate balance between humans and supernatural creatures and not everyone envisioned a world where they could live in harmony. Hate crimes were on the rise, more and more non-human run businesses were being vandalized, and whispers of protests and riots had reached Maka's ears more than once in the past few months.

It was probably only a matter of time before someone attacked her directly, Maka thought, but when they did, she would be ready. She would defend the Library- and her city- with her life.

"Oh my, this looks horrible," a voice said from behind her.

Maka paused in soaping up her sponge. "Medusa."

The snake witch smiled gently and it sent a chill up Maka's spine. There was something so saccharine about her, so venomous, and Maka didn't trust her as far as she could throw her. Maka liked to think the best of people, but she had heard too many horrible rumors- experiments on humans, mostly, bloody and terrible ones- and trusted her own intuition to know that Medusa Gorgon was bad news.

Medusa's eyes were round and innocent. "People are just horrible, aren't they? Humans can be so unpleasant." She paused. "No offense, of course, Maka dear."

"None taken." _Bitch._ "Can I help you?"

"Oh no, I was just taking a walk," Medusa said.

 _Then keep walking,_ Maka wanted to growl but instead turned back to the window. "Hm."

"If you want, I can help you with the spraypaint," Medusa offered. "I am a witch, after all."

"But are you a good witch or a bad witch?" Maka asked before she could stop herself.

Medusa only laughed, continuing on her way. "' _I'll get you my pretty. And your little dragon, too'_."

* * *

The heat was out in their apartment, which only added to Maka's irritation.

Dinner was delicious, as per usual, and Soul wisely did not question why Maka was in such a bad mood. All of his questions were answered with grumbles and growls, because she couldn't get Medusa and the spray paint- or her talk with Liz- out of her head. Maka was a storm of emotions and she needed to sleep off her annoyance before she committed a serious crime.

However, sleep would not come easy tonight, for many reasons.

"Makaaaaa, the heat is out."

Maka only rolled over in her little blanket cocoon, trying to ignore her roommate, who had rudely barged into her room without permission. "You have the space heater. Stop complaining."

She could hear the annoyed fluttering of his wings and she almost smiled imagining his snarky, annoyed expression, which was always thoroughly comedic on a little white dragon.

"It's warmer in here," Soul said stubbornly.

She pretending to mull it over; they both knew she would give in and this was purely for show. "Fine, you baby. You can sleep in here."

He practically divebombed into her bed, wings smacking her in the face. Soul sighed contently and Maka thought he had fallen asleep but then she saw a stuffed animal of hers- a very round, very fluffy little white dragon she had gotten as a joke to annoy Soul- sail off of the bed.

Soul snorted. "Poser."

"I can't believe you feel threatened by a stuffed dragon."

Soul only burrowed under the covers, trying to steal some of her precious body heat. Maka took pity on him and put her arms around him, drawing him close, much like one would a beloved pet. It should have felt weirder to do this, Maka realized. But they engaged in casual touching all the time- hand holding, hair touching, arms around shoulders- so this was No Big Deal, right?

Maka was sleepy and didn't want to think about the repercussions of sharing a bed with the object of her affections. It just felt _nice_ to lie with him like this, nice and warm and comfortable and like she was truly home.

Of course, it would have been much warmer if he were human and not a dragon.

She hadn't even realize that she voiced this out loud until Soul asked her, very quietly, if she was serious.

"The bed's small but I think we can fit," Maka said, hoping that she sounded casual and not like her heart was about to literally explode right out of her chest. "If you want."

Soul was silent and Maka wondered if she had crossed a line. Was their friendship ruined? The internal panic bubbled in her stomach and she was about to profusely apologize, or at least try to make a joke of it, when she felt the bed dip under the heavier weight of his human body. Now they were shoulder to shoulder in her too tiny bed and Maka cursed herself for not thinking this through more clearly.

She nudged him to roll on his side and Soul complied without complaint. Maka decided it was safest to hold him from behind, effectively making her the big spoon, and Soul had no issue with this. They were both tense for a moment before they remembered who exactly it was they were lying with, and both could breathe again.

"Warm?" Maka asked against his shoulder.

"Mmmyeah," Soul slurred, voice heavy with sleep.

Her thoughts raced: Was this _platonic_ spooning? Was her hand just _platonically_ resting on his stomach? Was her face just _platonically_ pressed against the back of his neck? Did he think this is what humans did with people they were just friends with? He wouldn't have been wrong, technically, because some people probably did cuddle their friends like this but Maka most certainly did not cradle Black*Star gently to keep him warm or let her mind wander about how good Liz smelled.

It felt rude and wrong and disrespectful to be sharing a bed under false pretenses.

"Soul," Maka murmured, sitting up in bed. "Roll over for a second."

He whined but rolled onto his back, not opening his eyes.

"Can I kiss you?"

Soul's eyes slowly opened. He blinked up at her, looking groggy and confused. " _What_."

Maka was losing her nerve. She swallowed thickly, hands in her lap to stop them from shaking. "I- I just thought… is that a no?"

"No."

"Wait, so that's a yes?"

"Yeah."

"So, yes you don't mind or no you don't want a kiss-"

"Just kiss me already!"

Not wanting to lose her chance, Maka leaned down to kiss him gently. It was awkward and clumsy and her neck hurt from bending at this angle, but it was also soft and warm and Maka was fairly sure this was not a platonic kiss. Soul was fumbling through the kiss more than her- nerves?- and he couldn't decide where to place his hands, so Maka unceremoniously climbed on top of him, putting his hands on her waist.

There. Decision made.

She could practically feel the heat coming off of his cheeks and pressed kisses to them, filled with affection and amusement at how shy he was being. No inch of his face went unsmooched- Soul's hands squeezed at her hips when Maka journeyed from from his chin to his neck and his breath became labored, making her pause.

"Did I just find your weak point?" Maka asked.

"Shut uUUAhhh," Soul managed to get out, groaning when she bit lightly at his throat. "Fuck. Do _not_ put this in your journal, so uncool."

Maka continued the barrage of kisses against his neck and collarbone, only stopping to whisper in his ear- bright red, even in the dark- how cute he was. Soul made an annoyed noise at the back of his throat, stating that he was a bad ass dragon and _not_ cute, but that was cut off as Maka's hand slid under his shirt, tracing the healed scar across his chest.

Immediately his hand fell on top of hers, holding it to his heart.

"Do you hate humans?" Maka asked softly, the rise of the scarred skin almost scalding the palm of her hand. Her mind went back to the graffiti at the library and Medusa and the plethora of homeless non-humans she passed by on the way to work.

"I hate _everyone_ ," Soul corrected and Maka snorted- for a flashy dragon, he was the epitome of the antisocial introvert. He slid her hand out from under his shirt and brought her palm to his lips. "... but you're alright."

She rolled off of him, snuggling up against his back again. "You're alright, too, Soul."

And that, Maka would note later in her writings, is how the Modern White Dragon says, _I love you._


End file.
